Author Archives: Piemontegirl

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About Piemontegirl

I am a wine lover currently located in Boston. I drink wine mostly from Piemonte and Burgundy. Two summers in a row I have worked at Vietti in Piemonte.

Vivino

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First of, I do have an account on Vivino. I admit I’m not the most frequent user, but I am trying to post more. The problem for me is that I usually take a picture of the wine and then later I post it on instagram or 20170123_125057000_iossomething, and I always forget about Vivino…

 

 

Anyone use it? Love it? Hate it?

 

 

Know of any good accounts to follow?

 

 

 

Any tips are welcomed!

 

For those who are not familiar, Vivino is an app created for those of you who either like reviewing wines or for those who like reading wine reviews. Many consumers will read reviews before purchasing, either in a wine magazine like Decanter or online. The app is an easy way to get quick access to wine reviews. If you want to review a wine you can also read what other people thought of that same wine. It’s a pretty good tool, and I want to get better at using it.

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Top 5 “local” dishes in Barolo

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  1. Insalata Russa
  2. Vitello Tonnato
  3. Ragu
  4. Carne Cruda
  5. Bagna Cauda

 

Insalata Russa

A “russian” salad of peas, carrots and potato with a mayo tuna sauce. One of my favorites!

osteria veglio

Vitello Tonnato

A tuna sauce with kapers over sliced veal. Very good!

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Ragu

Usually served with tajarin, this ragu is a must. The meat varies, but it’s usually rabbit (which always makes me feel a little strange, but if you pretend it’s something else it tastes good!).

le torri

Carne Cruda

I don’t have a picture, but most people know what it is. They often call it Battuta di Fassone and it’s served with olive oil and salt. Not one of my favorites.

Bagna Cauda

I have never tried this dish because I am usually in Barolo in the wrong “season”. It’s more of a fall/winter dish. It’s like a warm sauce and you can eat it similar to a fondue.

Top 5 Wine Experiences in Oslo

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Last year I mentioned my favorite places to go for a glass (or bottle) of wine. I stand by the first 4, but Dr. Kneipp has now been replaced with BA53.

  1. Territoriet
  2. Le Benjamin
  3. Beijing Palace
  4. Cru
  5. Dr. Kneipp     BA53ba

BA53 has become one of my favorite restaurants, with both incredible food and a great wine list. The staff takes excellent care of you, they are both friendly and professional, and contribute to the truly wonderful dining experience. The wine menu (and the food menu) change continuously but you are always assured a nice bottle to a reasonable price. I will keep coming back for more goodness.

 

 

 

Wine of the Week

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Cavallotto Langhe Chardonnay 2013

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Wine: Langhe Chardonnay

Producer: Cavallotto

Region/Appellation: Piemonte, Italy

Grape varieties: Chardonnay

Vintage: 2013

 

Eye: pale yellow

Nose:  citrus, green apple, white pepper, no oak

Mouth: medium acidity, fresh, minerals

 

Price Point: $19

Available at Vinmonopolet: maybe

Friday Pizza

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Friday Pizza has been a longstanding tradition. When Friday comes around, wherever I am, I try to make pizza. Lake Como, Milano, Stavanger, Boston; doesn’t matter. Recently, Friday Pizza has been accompanied by Blind Tasting. This particular occasion was to teach my brother’s friend a little about wine. We decided to stay in one area, so Piemonte wines were on the menu.

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It ended up being one of each grape and then of course both versions of Nebbiolo. And my dad picked wines that show the typical characteristics of each one. Dolcetto and Barbera by Bartolo Mascarello. Nebbiolo and Barolo from Marengo. Absolutely fantastic. The 2012 Barolo was a little young but decanting it helped slightly. Overall a great meal and an interesting “wine lesson”.

 

Giacomo Conterno

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Finally, a visit to Conterno. This winery has been on the list for quite some time, and I was very happy when the dream became reality. Located in Monforte, it has an amazing view (as you can see above) and the winery is recently renovated, absolutely stunning.

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Roberto Conterno, the grandson of Giacomo, now runs the winery and he gave us the tour (along with a translator). I personally thought his English was good, but none the less… The winery is relatively small, they produce a small quantity of wine, and as of now they only really make 3 different wines, sometimes 4 when they also make the Monfortino. He uses big botti, a “traditionalist”, and all his wines are aged in wood (none in stainless steel).

The tasting consisted of his Barbera and the 2 barolos. Conterno is known for his Francia, that he uses both for his barbera and one of the barolos. I thought the 2014 Barbera Francia was excellent, which is rather strange, because 2014 was a difficult year and the wines have been so so… Roberto joined us for a glass or two, and passionately explained his philosophy. Overall a fantastic visit.

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